License and card holder



May 17, 1932. c. FOTI 1,859,134

LICENSE AND CARD HOLDER Original Filed Feb 18, 1951 INVENTOR a I I WITNESS: ATTORNEY Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES 1,859,134 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES FOTI, OF ARNOLD, PENNSYLVANIA ASSIGNOR OF ONE-ELEVENTH TO ANTONIO SAULLE, ONE-ELEVENTH TO MENOTTI G-I'UDICE, ONE-ELEVENTH T0 IPASQU'ALE SCANG-A, ONE-ELEVENTH TO FERDINANDO GrATTO, ONE-ELEVENTH TO ALFIO CASTORINA, ALL OF ARNOLD, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ONE-ELEVENTH TO PAOLINO NICOLAZZO, ONE-ELEVENTH TO SALVATORE RUNCO, ONE-ELEVENTH TO MARCO NIOOLAZZO, ALL OF NEW KENSINGTON, IPEN'NSYLVAN IA, ONEa-ELEVENTH TO ANTONIO CIMINO AND ONE-ELEVENTH '10 GIUSEPPE FRATONGELI LIGENSE AND CARD Holman Application filed February 18, 1931, Serial No. 516,724. Renewed March 31, 1932.

The object of this invention is to provide means to be attached to a stationary member within the body of a motor vehicle and adapted to carry the operators license card, and to carry other articles, including the personal or business cards of the driver, so that all of these may be instantly accessible when needed.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind adapted also for carrying other articles in such manner that although having some intrinsic value they will not be instantly observed, and in any case can not be removed from within the housing or closure, assuming that the individual concerned is not aware of the location of the concealed securing means placed on the rear side of the housing or casing and between the latter and the stationary mounting element, such as the instrument board of the machine.

In the drawings forming part of the application:

Figure 1 shows the device in front elevation, a broken away portion of an element employed for mounting the device in a motor car being illustrated.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4: shows the housing or casing in top plan, a bracket being illustrated for mounting the device on the stationary elements, shown in section and corresponding with the board or the like appearing in Figure 1.

The housing of the device includes the rear wall 10, an upper wall 11 and a bottom wall 12, and these walls may be formed integrally if desired. The lower wall 12 has an aperture 12 therein adapted to receive a latch or looking member referred to below.

The front of the housing is protected by a closure comprising a frame which may be formed of channeled elements such as those shown at 14, 15, 16 and 17 but instead of such elements a frame may be provided, either by welding or any other suitable manner. The plate 18 is received and retained by the frame structure just referred to, and the closure has connection with the upper element 11 by means of hinges or other suitable elements 20. This closure is provided with'a latch 20 which is plvoted at 21 and swings rearwardly toward locking position. Figure .4 shows that the hinges each include three elements, and consist of two flat loop members and a connecting link of wire or the like.

The latch 20 includes the portion 20 resenibling the bill of a hook, and adjacent to the end of the portion 20 an aperture is provided for receiving the locking pin 22 which passes automatically into the aperture after the beveled end portion 23 has engaged the pin. The automatic movement takes place in view of the action of the spring 24: interposed between the stationary element 25 and the wall 10 the latter having an aperture 10 therein for the purpose of accommodating the pin. One end of the spring is to be connected with the pin, in accordance with usual mechanical procedure, the point of connection being assumed as on the far side. The pin projects rearwardly and is concealed under normal conditions but controlled by the operator by means of the head 27,.whereby the release of the closure may be effected when desired, but a person not authorized to have access to the device would consume a con siderable amount of time in ascertaining the proper operation for releasing the closure.

It being necessary in View of the foregoing to provide space between the housing and the stationary element 28 on which the device.

is mounted, an angular bracket 30 is mounted at 31 on the board or other stationary element 28, and an opening in the upper wall 11 permits of the insertion of a screw 32 adapted to be retained by a nut 33 positioned below said upper wall.

Means are provided for holding the license card and for holding other cards, such means being mounted as described on the rear wall 10, and including the hook like or flanged retaining members 34 and 35. A chamber 36 is usually provided between a package of cards of moderate size and the glass plate 18, so that small articles which the operator desires to have in accessible'position, in addition to'the foregoing, may be inserted. If the articles are of value they may readily be concealed by an opaque plate or card positioned near theplate 18, onthe inner side thereof. The permit card may nevertheless be located so that it may be read, through the transparent element 18 without removing the permit or license card from the housing or cage.

What I claim 1s:

1. In a device ofthe class described, a hous--, ing including upper, lower and'rear wal ls,.a

swinging closure for the front of the housingv and spaced from the rear wall thereof, means for supporting the housing outwardly from the surface of a stationary member within the body of avehicle, and securing means for the closure, these means comprising a p1urality of elements one of which is pivoted directly to the closure and the other ofthese elements engaging and retaining the pivoted element and including a headed portion projecting rearwardly from the housing andinto portion of the housing for the release of the retaining means.

3. A structure comprising the elements of claim 2, and including in the retaining means a pivoted hook connected with the closure, a spring held pin accessible only at the rear of the housing and engagingthe pivoted hook at a oint within the housing, the end portion of tie hook being deflected at an angle and having an aperture positioned for engagement by the pin.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES FOTI. 

